Love or something like it
by Neish
Summary: It all starts out with a bribe but when your feelings tangle up your mind, can everything be sorted out? Who really loves you in the end? Chapter 7 and 8 up. ~Fic Finally Finished!~
1. Bribes are sometimes good things!

Title: Love...or something like it.(now guess where this title came from!?)

Authoress: Ruby Moon

Summary: You're basic love triangle... hinted shounen-ai, lots of pairings. This is truly Xellos's fault!

Warning: Shounen-ai, X/L, X/F, X/Z, X/G, G/A, G/L, Z/L, Z/A 

A/N: *Ruby looks up* Oh my, this could be interesting to say the least. The end pairings will be: X/F, Z/L and G/A if you can really call it that...Gourry and Amelia just start sharing life stories, I'm not sure if that really counts as a pairing. 

D/C: Not mine, it belongs to whoever.

~*~*~*~  


"XELLOS! You're so...so MEAN!!!"  
  
"Says the selfish dragon girl..." Xellos sneered sarcastically.  
  
"I'm not selfish!!!"  
  
"Oh course not Filia, you're just self-centered and you complain too much."  
  
"THAT'S IT!!! Xellos! I had enough of YOU and your torturous mocking!" Filia cried as she ran off from the little inn they were all staying at. Gourry, Amelia, Zelgadis and Lina stopped from eating and watched Filia cry her eyes out as she took off into the street.  
  
"Xellos...what did you do this time!?" Lina had an evil glare on her face as she walked up to the mazoku.   
  
"Oh nothing Lina, dear Filia and I have just been discussing how selfish she is." Xellos...smiled...Well this smile was different. This smile was unsettling and disturbing, much different from the mazoku's normal genki smile.  
  
" I can't STAND your fighting!" Lina said as she grabbed Xellos by his shirt and made him stand up. Xellos kept his smile plastered to his face.

"Uhhhh...Lina shouldn't we go find Filia?!" Amelia said worried.

"Yeah, I guess so. Amelia, Gourry and Zelgadis, go find her and calm her down. I'll take care of Xellos." Lina frowned.

"I'm not going, you don't know how much Filia's mace HURTS!" Zelgadis murmured.

"Fine, Zelgadis will stay and watch me kick some mazoku ass!" Lina growled, her eyes were fixated on Xellos with a glare that could make anyone's blood trickle cold in their veins, but then again...Xellos probably enjoyed that glare. Gourry and Amelia backed out of the inn slowly. Amelia hoped that Lina would at least keep enough of Xellos for a proper burial.

"XELLOS!" Lina screamed and cringed from anger.

"Yes Lina?" He responded with a very fake concerned voice.

"Why....why do you always make life hell!? Couldn't you be NICE to Filia!?"

"I suppose....But there is no fun in that." Xellos opened his eyes a bit to have a look at the strain on Lina's face from the effort she put into keeping her fist from flying into Xellos's head. She took a deep breath and tried to smile sarcastically.

"Is there some way we can make a deal? You stop bugging Filia for at least a week and I'll do something for you...BUT something within reason Xellos!"

"Ah, a deal. Lina, I never thought you'd ever suggest something of the sort to me."

"Let's just say I'm working on self-control."

"That's something different now." Zelgadis snorted from behind Lina. She turned around and cracked her knuckles. He gulped and shut his mouth. 

" Well Lina Inverse, I do have an idea."

"Let's here it Xellos."

"You bring me out on a date, your treat. I pick the place and you pay." He grinned a stupid grin.

Lina's face faulted. " NO WAY! I ain't paying your lunch!" Zelgadis was just as shocked as Lina was. He raised a curious eyebrow.

" Well, then I guess I must go and find dear Filia, I must keep up with my tormenting her." Xellos said smugly.

"Fine...." Lina mumbled.

"What was that?"

"FINE!" She yelled and than pouted. " I guess I have to go help find Filia....And remember Xellos, you said no tormenting Filia for a week."

"Agreed dear Lina." Xellos smiled back and Lina cringed. Lina soon left and only Zelgadis and Xellos were left.

"What are you plaining Xellos!? If you hurt Lina I'll..." Zelgadis snarled but Xellos cut him off by raising his hand.

"Fear not Zelgadis, I shall not hurt the maiden."

"What are you playing at?!"

"Why can't I have a simple date with Lina?"

"You're a mazoku and it's not like you LIKE her."

" Well, Lina IS a very pretty woman...Don't you think Zelgadis?" Xellos laughed as Zelgadis blushed furiously.

" You still don't love her!"

"You're right, there are other people in this group much more interesting than dear Lina."

"Oh? Like who? Who will you try to play innocent with next?!"

"Well Gourry..." Xellos purred and trailed off as he walked behind the Chimera. Xellos rubbed the back of his hand against Zelgadis's neck "But you're so easy to tease...."

"W-WHAT?! You- GET AWAY!" Zelgadis screamed as he stumbled back some. Xellos laughed and stepped away.

"Oh you're so much fun Zelgadis-kun."

"Fruitcake!"

"That hurt." Xellos sniffed and then disappeared quickly. Zelgadis sat down in a chair by the bar.

"What a weird person...If I ever get my hands on him I'd choke him to death!"

~*~*~*~ 

Was that twisted enough for you? I really love this triangle thing!^_^ just r/r ppl cause ya know I like it! Poor Zel, I guess he doesn't like the lovin'.


	2. Xellos, the 'nice guy?

  
  


Title: Love...or something like it.(now guess where this title came from!?)

Authoress: Ruby Moon

Summary: You're basic love triangle... hinted shounen-ai, lots of pairings. This is truly Xellos's fault!

Warning: Shounen-ai, X/L, X/F, X/Z, X/G, G/A, G/L, Z/L, Z/A 

A/N: Well, I've gotten a few reviews now....I'm amazed people I'm so loved. Tell you the truth this is my 1st Slayers fic, though I posed the 2nd before...did that make sense to anyone other than me!?   


D/C: I do not own Slayers, I worship it but other than that....no.  


~*~*~*~

  


Lina walked around the little town for signs of Filia, Gourry and Amelia.  
  
"They must have left town or something. I didn't see them anywhere..." Lina said to herself.  
  
Lina asked a few shopkeepers if they had seen one of her friends. One man said he had noticed a pretty blonde girl run into the nearby woods crying.   
  
"That must be Filia!" Lina shouted and quickly dashed off to the woods.  
  
As she walked through the quiet forest, her mind trailed off to the deal she had made with Xellos. 'I wonder what he's plotting this time....' Lina thought. ' He couldn't be doing all this for a real date with me....could he?'  
  
"Zelgadis sure didn't like the idea...." Lina laughed out loud to herself.  
  
Lina walked a bit further until she saw Gourry and Amelia sitting under a very tall tree. They seemed to be engrossed in a big conversation. Lina caught a small laugh from Amelia. It looks as if Amelia was moving in on her man...wait? "Her" man!? Lina didn't even LIKE Gourry. since when did she care who he was with. Lina shrugged, after thinking about it she didn't really care....  
  
"YOU IDIOTS!!! Weren't you going to find Filia!?" Lina yelled furiously. She pushed away her other thoughts for another time.  
"We did Lina....she's up in this tree and wont come down! We tried our best!" Gourry explained.  
  
"So just what ARE you two up to now then!?"  
  
"We figured you'd come to find us sooner or later so we sat down and talked." Amelia smiled.  
  
"Talked? About what...?" Lina eyed Amelia suspiciously. Lina knew she liked Zelgadis but why was she now after Gourry!?

"We were telling each other jokes and stuff! Lina didja hear the one about the one legged fisherman!?"   
  
"Gourry! You jellyfish for brains! We have other things to take care of right now!" Lina fumed.  
  
"O-ok Lina..."Gourry whimpered with a puppy eyes.   
  
"Oh Lina! You're so mean to Gourry...." Amelia sniffed. Lina face faulted. What was up with everyone lately?! She glared a bit until she heard small cries from up the tree. Of course...Lina forgot about poor Filia.

Lina jumped up on a branch that hung over Gourry and Amelia's head.  
  
"Lina, where you going?" Gourry asked.  
  
"I'm gonna go get Filia down from this tree, baka!"  
  
Lina scrambled up quickly, it wasn't a hard task for her to do since she was light and agile. She saw Filia sitting on a branch crying her eyes out.  
  
"Filia...." Lina said softly. Filia wiped her eyes and looked down at Lina.  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!" She screamed and threw her mace at Lina's head. The mace hit Lina dead on and she passed out from the blow. She toppled over and fell down the tree, just as she was going to hit the ground Xellos appeared and caught her in his arms.  
  
"Oh dear, Miss Filia must have done thing." Xellos gasped. He floated to gourry and placed Lina in his arms. She soon woke up and stared at Gourry.

"Y-you saved me Gourry?" She inquired and blushed fanatically. She looked into his deep blue eyes, she felt warm all over.  
  
"Uhhh...nope. Xellos did! You fell out of the tree and he caught you." Gourry smiled. Lina glared and got up. That ruined that dream she guessed. It figures, Gourry couldn't save a fish from drowning....  
  
Lina looked over to Xellos who stood next to Amelia. "Thank you Xellos..." Lina murmured. Xellos opened an eye and watched Lina bow her head to him politely.  
  
"No need to thank me dear Lina, I was only doing a good deed!" Xellos smiled.  
  
"Dear? Good!?" Gourry and Amelia said in perfect unison.

Xellos shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's up to me to get Filia down."

"WHAT!?" Amelia and Gourry said once again in unison.  
  
"Well, why not?" Xellos asked.  
  
"You're kinda the reason she's up there Xellos...." Amelia said, she didn't want to offend the mazoku but it WAS true.  
  
"Fair enough but she isn't fast enough to strike me." Xellos laughed.  
  
"I say we let him..." Lina had an evil smile on her face. Xellos smiled at her and then teleported up.  
  
After a few seconds, screams were heard....Lina wondered if Xellos would be ok. But as soon as the though entered her head Xellos teleported back down with a screaming Filia over his shoulder. He let her down and she turned her head away from his and sniffed like she was stuck up.  
  
" Oh Filia, wasn't that so much fun?" Xellos teased.

"It was NOT!" She yelled back in his ear. Lina gave Xellos a glare, he took this as a warning. He couldn't loose this bet. After a few seconds, Filia took noticed to the welt that was growing on Lina's head. " MISS LINA!!! I am so very sorry! I didn't mean to hit you!!!"   
  
"Ah it's ok Filia, I'll be alright." Lina sighed. "But can we please just return back to the inn!?" She groaned.   
  
"Fair enough Lina." Xellos said. " I think you should get some ice for those bruises."  
Everyone walked back. Gourry and Amelia were still totally into their conversations and Xellos walked next to Filia. Filia didn't seem to notice, she was feeling horrible for what she had done to Lina. And Lina... she lagged behind, glaring at Gourry's back.  


  


~*~*~*~  


Well, wasn't that crazy? It's only started too! It get's better....or worse....either or both....R/R!!!!


	3. Lina's feelings

Title: Love...or something like it.

Authoress: Ruby Moon Metallium

Summary: You're basic love triangle... hinted shounen-ai, lots of pairings. This is truly Xellos's fault!

Warning: Shounen-ai, X/L, X/F, X/Z, X/G, G/A, G/L, Z/L, Z/A 

A/N: ah, 3 chapter up! *mumbles* damn school keeps getting in my way...-_- oh well. Just R&R for me. 

D/C: Yes, I own it. Just like I own the internet and chat rooms and anime and kitties! Can't forget the kitties! And I own the world if you were just wondering. *sarcastic grin* you all wish I did anyway....lol j/k

~*~*~*~  
  
Everyone kept walking...and walking...and more walking! Obviously they had gotten lost. Lina knew it was a bad idea to let Gourry lead the group. They have been walking for the past ½ hour, Lina knew it had only taken her 15 minutes at the most to find them in the woods.

"Gourry, you air for brains! Do you even know we're going!?" Lina snapped finally.  
  
"Oh Lina, don't worry...if we really must, I can just teleport out of these woods." Xellos laughed.

"How would THAT help us?" Lina growled.  
  
"I never said it'd help you...."  
  
"Xellos....Don't make me hurt you!"   
  
"I was only kidding Lina. Besides, I can't leave you here."  
  
"Why is THAT Xellos!?" Filia questioned. She stood at his side with her hands on her hips, she glared.  
  
"Well, poor Lina needs to be taken care of since some selfish dragon priestess hit her in the face with her mace." Xellos mocked Filia. Filia didn't have time to respond before Lina interrupted.  
  
"Oh Xellosssss...." Lina hissed. "Come over here for a moment."  
  
"Yes Lina?" Said Xellos once he teleported over.  
  
"Don't forget about our little compromise, I really don't want to give you a free meal but if it makes you be good I'll do anything at this point."  
  
"Oh miss Lina! It's harder to be nice than it looks!"  
  
"Just do it....Just this one thing for me." Lina pleaded and looked into his eyes. He had opened them to look at Lina better. She smile at him and he blushed furiously, before Lina got a glance of this he quickly made his way back to the front of the group with Filia.  
  
"Sorry Filia...." He murmured to the dragon.  
  
"Huh?" Filia though he had just said sorry to her. "E-excuse me?"  
  
"I shouldn't tease you so much...." He grumbled.   
  
Filia lost all her words. She just looked at Xellos blankly. "Uh...Wa-Xel...You...huh?!"The group walked in peace for the rest of the way. It seemed Gourry really did know the way out. Lina mused, jellyfish brains really did know his way.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Boy, where did you all go!? Lina what's with your face!?" Zelgadis said as the group walked into the inn. 

" Woods, Filia....mace...sleep!" Lina said in one big blur before she collapsed in Zelgadis's arms. She was fast asleep before he could realize what had happened.

"Oh dear, miss Lina is exhausted!" Xellos sighed. " Filia, you should take care."

Filia almost gasped, Xellos didn't make a dirty dig at her at all. " Uhh... I guess I should." Filia murmured.

It was Xellos's turn to be amazed. Filia didn't bitch at him or complain about his suggestion. " Uh, Zelgadis...Pass Lina to me."

Zelgadis glared at Xellos but then reluctantly passed the sleeping Lina in his arms. "I'll bring her to her room for you Filia." Xellos said and then walked away with Lina in his arms. Filia followed close behind as they climbed the steps.

"That was....Weird...." Amelia commented. She was right, everyone was acting weird. Xellos was being overly nice to Lina and Filia. Lina was obviously angry at Gourry for spending time with Amelia, Filia was calm around Xellos as if they were old friends and Zelgadis kept glaring at Xellos for some reason.

Zelgadis sat down in a chair. He would of thought Amelia would have jumped to his side the moment he sat down but she was....talking to Gourry!? They seemed to be talking about something very interesting because soon they both sat at a table and blabbed on and on about something.

"Oh! You had a dog too when you're a kid, Gourry!?" Amelia was excessively giddy as she talked with Gourry.

"Yeah, his name was Marcus....But he died..." Gourry sniffled a bit, he remembered his poor dog.

"Awwwww, that's so sad!" Amelia comforted him. Zelgadis was very confused, since when did Amelia and Gourry become this close? Not that he was jealous or anything...

Zelgadis got up and walked to Lina's room. Filia had the ice bag on Lina's face, Xellos was sitting by the window looking out over the town. Neither were fighting or complaining, nor was Lina running around.

"Filia, want me to look after Lina? You must be tired as well." Zelgadis said. He was leaning up against the frame of the door. Filia looked up and smiled.

"Would you mind, Zelgadis?" Filia asked nicely. Zelgadis nodded and took Filia's place by Lina. Xellos looked over to where Filia was but the moment she was gone, so was he. Zelgadis sat next to Lina and held the ice bag on her face lightly now.

"Zel...?" Lina murmured half awake.

"Yeah Lina, it's me."

"What are you doing here? Where's Filia?" She asked. Obviously she was asleep when Zelgadis entered the room.

"She's gone to take a break, Lina." He stated and then continued. "Why did you really make that deal with Xellos?"

"I know what you must be thinking Zelgadis. You're thinking that I set this up so I could get a date with Xellos or something. Or maybe you think I'm trying to make Gourry jealous. And right off the bat I'm going to tell you flat out it was either of those reasons. Sure Xellos is nice but I'd never like him THAT way. And so what if stupid Gourry hasn't payed attention to me this whole damn week!? If that's what you're thinking you're dead wrong!" Lina huffed and then removed the ice from her face to look at Zelgadis who was utterly stunned by what she had just blurted out.

" I- I never thought any of that.....well maybe the Xellos thing came to mind....So are you saying that you really did this to help Filia?"

"I suppose. At first it was because I thought all their fighting was going to kill me so I had to end it somehow before I lost my mind but then....I dunno....maybe somewhere in my mind I thought I had a chance to be with Xellos. It's obvious now that maybe I like him more then I say and that all this was my subconscious telling me what to do to not feel so lonely anymore."

"....You feel lonely?"

"Sometimes, when I think that I could of had something with Gourry but I missed my chance long time ago. I know you feel that way sometimes Zelgadis. You keep so much to yourself even though Amelia wanted to help you. Now I'm sure you've seen how buddy-buddy her and Gourry have become after only a day." Lina said and looked at him with her big eyes. She was very pretty as she stared into his....even though she had bruises marking her cheek and forehead, not to mention a few cuts on her chin and lips.

"You look so pathetic Lina Inverse...." Zelgadis sighed. He couldn't help but laugh at her. She glared and then plopped the ice back on her face.

"You're not one to talk Zel..." Lina nudged him with her elbow.

"I have a few things to take care of Lina. Will you be alright here by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She smiled under the ice bag. One would think it was cold on her face but Lina didn't have much feeling in her visage anyway at the moment.

Zelgadis left leaving Lina alone in her room to sleep. She rested for another hour or so before she walked down stairs all refreshed, except for her face that was still looking like she was run over by speeding horses.

"Hey guys." She said as she took a seat with Amelia and Gourry.....who were still on the subject about they're past pets and how the met their demise. Amelia was telling Gourry about her pet goldfish named Pheobix who was eaten by her cat named Justice III that died from rat poisoning. 

"Hi miss Lina..." Amelia said and then got back to her story. "Pheobix was such a nice fish.... She was so beautiful! But Justice III was only following her intuition I guess..." Amelia sighed.

"Hey Lina, feeling better?" Gourry said ½ paying attention to Lina.

"Yeah....I guess....The ice started to feel cold so I knew it was time to give that a break." Lina said but Gourry wasn't really paying attention. "....And then a swordfish chopped off my left arm and tried to feed it to L-sama herself but I got it back just in time before Gaav made a soup out of it. So then I reattached it with the Dragon Slave of course...." Lina waited for a reaction but Gourry was only listening to Amelia.

He nodded a bit. "Yeah Lina....Dragon Slave soup sounds good...." He obviously was to tie up with Amelia's story to notice her.

"I figured you'd like it..." Lina snarled and the stormed off bitterly.

She sat down by herself at a new table and ordered as much food as she would have eaten if Gourry were with her. Once the food came she barely poked at it for she really didn't feel like eating.

"What's the matter Lina-chan?" Xellos appeared out of thin air next to Lina.

"Nothing's the matter Xellos. Go away." She grumbled and then started shoving the food in her face. She really didn't feel like having Xellos bugging her at the moment.

"Xellos, leave Miss Lina alone." Filia said as she entered the inn. Xellos simply nodded and helped Filia with her shopping bags. Filia was a bit shocked but didn't mind the help.

"Thank you, Xellos." Filia murmured.

"No need to thank me Filia." Xellos said with his genki smile. If Filia only knew he was only being nice because of his deal with Lina she would have smashed his face in with mace-sama but seeing how she didn't know of such things, she blushed furiously. Lina looked over to them and smiled. Xellos was actually trying to be nice to the dragon priestess.

"Wow, you two have been acting like good friends lately. Is there something you're not telling us?" Lina joked. 

Xellos shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly but Filia blushed horribly and then yelled at Lina. "Miss Lina! How could you ever say such a thing! I would never be an 'item' with namagomi! If it wasn't that I've already hurt you today with my mace, you'd be doing a face plant into a tree!"

"She's only joking Filia. Don't get angry over that. She's just trying to bug you." Xellos said simply. Of course he was enjoying her freak out but he couldn't join in the fun for he'd lose to Lina and he really didn't want that. He had to be good, he must be good....He even tried with all his might to be good believe it or not. 

"Since when have you and Miss Lina switched roles?!" Filia glared at the both of them. Lina shrugged and Xellos only stood there with a smile on his face. "You're all crazy! You're all planing something evil against me. I'm sure of it!" Filia cried and ran off to her room.

"She really doesn't trust me, does she?"

"Nahhhh...What gave you THAT idea Xellos? Would you be a little nervous if the person who bugs you the most started acting like your best friend?"

"Eh....."Xellos blinked. "I suppose that's logical enough. But it'd be much more fun if she played along with me."

"Xellos, you're such a fruitcake." Lina sighed.

"Oh that wasn't very nice Miss Lina!" Xellos smiled wickedly and then teleported himself into Lina's lap. He bent forward to give her a kiss on the cheek but she pushed him off her and onto the floor before he could press his lips to her blushing face

"Xellos, get off Lina." Zelgadis sighed. He had just stepped in the door way when all this was happening.

"Oh Zelgadis, don't get jealous that I like Lina a bit more the you." Xellos teased. He teleported next to Zelgadis now and wrapped his arms around his next and leaned in to kiss him but he stopped upon feeling something hard press against him. "Enjoying yourself Zelgadis?" Xellos asked as he whispered into Zelgadis's ear.

"Wrong sword, Xellos. Now get off me before I decide to castrate you." Zelgadis hissed in a low voice so Lina wouldn't hear him. Xellos decided it was best not to push Zelgadis today. Oh well, there was always other people to flirt with.

"What are you two doing?!" Lina yelled. She really couldn't imagine Xellos and Zelgadis being so close to each other. Xellos backed off from Zelgadis. Once Xellos had moved out of Lina's way she saw Zelgadis slipping his sword back into it's holder.

"Zelgadis, that's a nice way to get Xellos off of you. Mind if next time I borrow your sword?" Lina laughed and walked over to Zelgadis.

"Be my guest Lina." Zelgadis smiled a real smile. They both laughed at Xellos who pouted next to them.

"Oh fine, be that way." Xellos playfully pouted. "I have to go find Fi-chan anyway. Ja ne!" Xellos said and quickly disappeared.

"Can you believe he's actually going to try and win your bet?" Zelgadis mused.

"Either way, it doesn't bother me. As long as Filia isn't crying her eyes out and running away with then money, I'm happy."

"....Just remember what you told me earlier. And remember Xellos is a Mazoku." Zelgadis said as he walked away to his room.

Lina decided to go back to her room as well. 

~*~*~*~  
  
I decided to add a bit more X/Z action for MoroTheWolfGod. ^_^' there might even be more. Now to write the next chapter!!! Hooray! Hooray! 


	4. The shopping day!

Title: Love...or something like it.

Authoress: Ruby Moon Metallium

Summary: You're basic love triangle... hinted shounen-ai, lots of pairings. This is truly Xellos's fault!

Warning: Shounen-ai, X/L, X/F, X/Z, X/G, G/A, G/L, Z/L, Z/A 

A/N: *peace sign* Wai! 4th chapter! I'm going into exams soon( but by the time I'm done writing this chapter they might be all done)...That means study, study and more studying! Lucky for me...-_-' but I think I'll be fine, I only have science, art and math. I'm really good in science, none of my test scores were lower then 70% this semester. And in math none were lower then 73%! And art.....^_^ I'm like the model student. I have never gotten anything lower then 85% on my projects.

D/C: I own none of the characters in this story. Slayers belongs to some people that I forgot they're names at the moment ^^' The story line, of course, is mine.

~*~*~*~  


Filia was walking around town by herself on a cloudy afternoon. She had ran away from the inn to get away from those idiots who she unfortunately had to travel with. For all those idiots new, she was still in her room but the truth was she had snuck out her window into an ally and escaped.

"I....I don't think I can take this anymore." She said to herself as she passed a few people who were to busy shopping and talking to notice the dragon priestess was almost in tears. " I try so hard but they always do something to aggravate me." She sighed with a sharp breath. The one she was mostly thinking about was that stupid Xellos.

Filia kept walking until she looked up at a sign. It was a pottery shop. "Oh wow! Pottery!!!" Filia giggled and her spirts lifted when she entered the shop.   


~*~ back at the Inn ~*~  


Lina was about to walk into her room when she decided to go back downstairs. Why should she be hiding from the world? "The world is my stage and the show will go on...." Lina felt her courageous side pushing her to forget her problems for now. "I'm going to do something constructive today instead of being sad. It's not like me to be gloomy!"

Lina jumped a few steps and then tripped down the rest. She got up and instead of complaining about it, she dusted herself off and decided the pain of falling was much more enjoyable then the numbness she felt all day. "Hey guys, I'm going out for a while. I'll be back sometime later." Lina said to Amelia and Gourry. 

"Ok Miss Lina!" Amelia smiled.

"Sure Lina! Where are you going anyway?"Gourry asked.

"I'm going out to enjoy the rest of the day." She smiled back to them and ran out the door.

When she walked out, there was still an overcast but nothing at this point was going to stop her. She had a mission to make herself feel better. "I think I'm going to check out a few shops today. Maybe even find myself a few more magic trinkets." Lina mused.  


~*~ Filia enjoys the pottery shop ~*~  


"Oh wow!" Filia gushed as she held up a antique tea pot. It was dated almost as far back as the War between the Mazoku and Gold Dragons. She would have loved to have it for her collection but the price.....She could just feel the weight of her money bag deplete. She set it back to it's original spot, next to a few other, less old, tea pots.

"It's quite nice isn't it?" A voice said from behind her. Filia was still fixed on the antique to really pay attention to whoever it was.

"Oh yes....I would have loved to have that for my collection but I have to save my money to feed....a few certain piggy people I know." She was shaking at the thought of the Slayers group, pigging out at her expense.

"Ah, that's just too bad. Maybe one day you'll be able to get that beautiful tea pot and maybe even serve tea to more....civilized company." 

Filia turned around to talk with this new person but to her shock....They had disappeared. "...I'm going crazy....." Filia's eyes had bags growing under them as she questioned her sanity. 

~*~ Lina and the shop keeper. ~*~

"What do you mean 'you can't have this item'?!?! Why NOT!?!" Lina growled out a man behind a counter.

"It's a powerful item....If you don't have enough magic to control it properly, you could blow yourself up!" The man pleaded with her.

"...You really don't know who I am, do you?" Lina had a sadistic smile, kinda like Xellos did sometimes. "I am the great, beautiful, sorcery genius.... LINA INVERSE!" She promoted herself to everyone in the shop. 

"...and that means...?"

"Idiot! Just give me the item before I decide to Dragon Slave your shop."

"Dragon Slave!? What kind of retard do you take me for...No such spell exist!"

"Stupid people, stupid idiots beyond the mazoku barrier....Figures, they don't know what a Dragon Slave is, nor do they know REAL magic. Well, it explains why they can't control this amulet or why they don't believe me...." Lina mused to herself. She grabbed the amulet out of the man's hand and gave a sarcastic smile.

"Want me to SHOW you just how powerful I am?" Lina laughed evilly. "FLARE ARROW!" 

The shop went up in flames suddenly. People came running out screaming horribly. Lina walked out of the building slowly. She pushed back her hair. "BOMB DI WIND!" She called out and with a huge gust, all the flames were out. Everyone stared at her with huge eyes.

Lina dropped a few coins at the feet of the shop keeper and then walked away. 

She decided that she had nothing else to do, so she did the unthinkable and went to look for clothes. Sure it wasn't like Lina to go shopping for clothes but she had promised to do something constructive that day....though up to now, she'd been doing more destruction then anything else.... A dark form watched silently, unmoving and then vanished.

~*~Filia goes back to the Inn~*~

After looking at through the pottery shop and the encounter with the mysterious disappearing person, Filia was ready to go back and regroup with everyone. She was feeling much better and more happy now. Her mood couldn't be spoiled by anything, not even by that psycho priest. She still wondered what had happened to him to make him change so much suddenly. 

"It's a shame I didn't get to buy anything today but there is always another day for that." She smiled.

As she walked back into the inn she was greeted by Amelia and Gourry who ever still engrossed in their conversation. "Oh Filia, we didn't even see that you left the inn!" Amelia said.

"Oh...Well, I didn't want to bother you with your conversation so I just snuck out silently." She lied, but they'd believe it. She wasn't plainly going to say to their face that she jumped out of her window to escape all of the group because if she stayed any longer she might have tried to murder them all.

"Oh Filia, what a fibber you are." Xellos said appearing behind her.

"Xellos! Go back to the hole you dragged yourself out of!"

"Full of insults I see...."Xellos pouted. He put on his normal Hurt-Puppy-That's-Been-Kicked-Too-Many-Times act. 

Filia groaned and then sat down at her own table. Xellos took a seat in front of her, he opened his eyes a bit to look at her pissed off face a bit better. When he did look at her she acted relax and she pretended she didn't even notice him. Under the table however....Filia was holding her tail down from everyone's view. Especially Xellos, she couldn't let him have the satisfaction of annoying her.

"So Filia....Enjoy your day out?"

"Yes."

"Did you buy anything?"

"No."

"Would you like me to order us something to eat?"

"No."

"Are you angry with me?"

"Maybe."

"Oh good, I hoped that you weren't angry. That would horrible wouldn't it?"

"Yes."

"It's nice to see you're agreeing with me. See how much we can get done when we agree?"

"I know you do this for fun, Xellos. You must be having a grand lunch off of me right now. How about you just leave me alone and go pick on someone else for a bit?" Filia said, ½ whispering...or maybe whispering was the only was Filia could stop herself from yelling at the top of her lungs how much she wanted to kill Xellos at the moment.

"Oh, I was starting to worry that you could only say 1 word at a time, Filia." Xellos smirked and then got up. He bowed to her and the disappeared.

A few minuted later Lina came in the door with a bag slung over her shoulder. She looked at everyone with a smile. "Hey guys! What have you all been up to today?"

"Gourry and I have been talking about our dead pets...." Amelia said. Lina didn't know if she should bring them for help over just leave them there. She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. 

"I didn't do much. I just went shopping but I didn't find anything I wanted." Filia sighed and played with her golden hair.

"Where's Zelgadis then?" Lina questioned.

"We haven't seen him Miss Lina. I think he stayed the whole day in his room!" Amelia whimpered. How could she have forgotten poor Zelgadis!? She felt so bad about leaving him out.

"Ah don't worry Amelia. If Zel wanted company he would have come down or something. He's probably reading a book or spent the day in the hot spring." Lina told the princess to cheer her up. Lina guessed that Amelia must still have feelings for Zelgadis but she probably knew Zelgadis could never love her back as long as he was so absorbed in himself and his stupid cure.

"I guess but...Miss Lina, it's not good to be alone as much as he is!" 

"You're right, I'll go drag him down here for some human..." Lina looked at Filia. "And dragon contact." Lina set her bag down close to Amelia.

Lina walked up to Zelgadis's room and knocked on it. "Zel, you in here?" She asked and waited for a reply.

"Yeah Lina, you can come in." Zelgadis replied through the door. Lina opened the door slowly and peered in. Zelgadis was just like she said, reading a book on his bed. He looked up at her and set down him book.

"What brings you to my room, Lina?" 

"Just wondering where you went off to. Amelia is worried about you being in here all day. I think she's right Zelgadis, you need to get out more!"

"Don't give me a speech. I'm perfectly fine in here. I finally got to start a new book."

"Well then, come down stairs with me so we can all plan where we're going to eat today."

They both walked back down the stairs, Xellos was back. He sat in a booth far away from Filia. Amelia finally had left Gourry's side and was looking at the bag Lina had. She didn't open in but she knew there was clothes in it by the shape.

"What did you buy Miss Lina? Is this clothes!?" Amelia said.

"Yup, I bought it cause I have the perfect idea for what we can do tonight!" Lina smiled.

"...And that would be...?"Xellos asked from his corner.

"WE'RE GOING TO A DANCE CLUB!" Lina laughed as everyone wondered if it was really a good idea to go to a club.

  
  


~*~*~*~

This chapter is done. ^_^ I even completed it before my exams start! I'm gonna start the next chapter right away so I can post it fast. r/r!  



	5. Dance club Filia knows

Title: Love...or something like it.

Authoress: Ruby Moon Metallium

Summary: You're basic love triangle... hinted shounen-ai, lots of pairings. 

Warning: Shounen-ai, X/L, X/F, X/Z, G/A, G/L, Z/L, Z/A 

A/N: About time I continued ne? Oh well *shrugs* I decided to get rid of the Gourry/Xellos pairing cause that was too creepy for me to write. But maybe later chapters I might do it....

D/C: I don't own Slayers, baka....but if I did....Xellos, Zelgadis and Gourry would all be wearing no shirts!   
  
  
  


Lina spun around in her new outfit. She wore a beautiful red dress that cut above her knees, it hugged her hips and accented her petite chest giving her a more curvy body. She but everything together with a pair of hanging turquoise earnings.   
  
"How do I look?" Lina smiled and brushed back her hair.   
  
Three male pairs of eyes stared in her direction.  
  
"Oh miss Lina! You look so nice!" Amelia squealed , she wore a dark blue tank top and a short black skirt with a lovely silver necklace with a emerald pendent.   
  
"Hey you look pretty good too Amelia!" Lina smiled. In Lina's mind of course she was only thinking of how beautiful she looked as she wisped in the room and all three men, that included Xellos, looked her way.  
  
"Miss Lina! Must I go? I really don't feel like dancing tonight!" Filia whined.   
  
"Filia just get out here!" Lina snapped.  
  
"Fine..." Filia's voice was icy and spiteful.  
  
Filia walked wearing a dress similar to Lina's except that her's was light blue and a bit shorter, revealing more of her legs. It was about as low cut as Lina's but because Filia's breast were fairly larger, the dress accented them. 

Filia blushed as she entered the room. If the men were staring at Lina, they were gawking at Filia and she could feel them looking at her. "Please miss Lina, I feel awkward in this."  
  
"Oh you look fine, Filia! I think Lina made the right selection for you!" Xellos commented, Filia only sent a pair of angry eyes his way.  
  
"He's right, Filia. You'll have fun tonight!" Lina smiled. "Now, I see everyone is ready." She inspected the men, they all had changed their clothes to go out. As Lina looked them over she noted that they all looked quite handsome, especially Gourry who was sporting a nice leather jacket and dark pants ensemble. "C'mon guys! Let's get partying!"  
  
Lina led the way to the club that was only a few blocks away from the inn they were staying at. Lights flashed and they could hear the upbeat music already as they turned the corner. Like all clubs, they waited in line for a while and then finally got in. 

The music played loudly. Lina's laughs could have been heard if only the music did drown them out. She was dancing with Gourry, at last. The night in her mind was perfect but in Filia's...

"Hey beautiful....Can I buy you a drink...."a man, who had been trying to pick up several woman that night, asked Filia.

'Jerk' Filia hissed in her mind. If she had her mace she would have bashed his head in. Damn Miss Lina for making her wear the stupid dress!

"Oh no, I'm not drinking tonight." Filia smiled to the man.

"Awww, come one lovely....How bouts a coke an' rum..." He placed his arms around her shoulder. 

"Errr...." she hesitated, maybe one drink couldn't hurt.... "Very well, I accept." 

After a few coke and rum, Filia was feeling quite emotional. She forgot that dragons take to liquor differently than humans. As where humans start to get dizzy and happy, dragons get very emotional and weak (Strength and willpower wise. I'm making this up for the fic.) The man kept trying to hint at going to his room at a nearby inn but Filia kept trying to ignore him until he grabbed her wrist and started to pull her towards the door. She was too liquored up to resist as her strength disappeared.

As they got outside he tried to pull her down an ally as she screamed and kicked out at the man. He pulled her in close and leaned down to kiss her when someone approached them, the man stopped and looked over to the newcomer.

"Getshhh....outa 'ere ya biummmm..." the man, who tried to assault Filia slurred.

"My, my....trying to hurt a poor defenseless women...tisk tisk." the new man said, Filia recognized the voice as Xellos. She looked up at him with tears freely streaming down her face. She broke free from the man and ran to Xellos, pressed herself against his chest for shelter. This surprised Xellos quite some as Filia would never attach herself like that to him.

"I suggest you leave this lady alone and go home now." Xellos hissed. His eyes flashed as he opened them to get the full eerie demonic look. The man stumbled back and ran off through the ally.

"Filia? Why are you hiding your face in my chest?" Xellos frowned. Filia started crying suddenly, he could feel the hot tears seep through his shirt. 

"I was so scared!" She bawled.

"Shhhhh....Filia calm down! You had a bit too much to drink, Filia. I'll bring you back to the inn to sleep." Xellos told her. He tried his best not too feed off her sentiments but they tasted so sweet.

Xellos led her to the inn, he brought her in the little living room they had and sat her down on the couch. He took up a chair across the room. She was still sniffling and coughing but at least she had calmed down some.

"Th-thank you Xellos. I hate it when this happens..." 

"It happens often, does it?" he teased.

"I'll ignore that...Xellos, why are you being nice to me lately?"

"I...." he paused "....sore was himitsu desu...." he bitterly said the rest. He didn't want to tell her the real reason for he knew what she would do.

"It's that bet....isn't it?" Filia sighed and looked down at her feet.

"You know about that?!" Xellos coughed out, a little shocked.

"I overheard the other day when Zelgadis changed places with me to take care of Lina. I was outside the room but I heard everything...." she wondered if she should tell him about the 'other' thing Lina said.

*flash back*

"Why did you really make that deal with Xellos?" Zelgadis asked.

"I know what you must be thinking Zelgadis. You're thinking that I set this up so I could get a date with Xellos or something. Or maybe you think I'm trying to make Gourry jealous. And right off the bat I'm going to tell you flat out it was either of those reasons. Sure Xellos is nice but I'd never like him THAT way. And so what if stupid Gourry hasn't payed attention to me this whole damn week!? If that's what you're thinking you're dead wrong!" Lina blurted it all out. That had shocked Filia, all this time, Lina held that all in.

" I- I never thought any of that.....well maybe the Xellos thing came to mind....So are you saying that you really did this to help Filia?" Zelgadis gasped.

"I suppose. At first it was because I thought all their fighting was going to kill me so I had to end it somehow before I lost my mind but then....I dunno....maybe somewhere in my mind I thought I had a chance to be with Xellos. It's obvious now that maybe I like him more then I say and that all this was my subconscious telling me what to do to not feel so lonely anymore."

*end flash back*

"So all this time, you knew what we were doing?"

"Yeah...." Filia decided that it should be Miss Lina to tell Xellos how she really felt.

"You're a good actress, Filia. I have to watch you more or you might even get passed me."

"I did get passed you! I fooled you all this time remember!?" Filia yelled.

"Ok, ok...you got me this time...."Xellos retorted "..this time..."

"Anyway, thanks Xellos for helping me out back there. I know that it's the liquor that's making me tell you all this so just disregard all this kindness tonight....And I hope you win your bet....." Filia said as she got up and walked to her room.

"...She....wants me to win the bet?!" Xellos scratched his head.  
  


*Back at the dance club*  
  


Lina was having the time of her life dancing with Gourry. Amelia was talking it up with a guy at the bar and Zelgadis....he was....Lina looked around for him but couldn't see him. 

"...Sorry Gourry...I have to go....do a few things. Thanks for the dance..." She said quickly and walked away. She looked around the club for Zelgadis and finally she found him sitting in a dark booth, playing with the salt shaker. "Zelgadis! Get up and have fun!"

"No, Lina."

"Zel! Get up or I fireball your ass up!"

"Lina, I don't feel like dancing at the moment." He told her bitterly. 

Lina sat next to him and looked him fiercely in the eyes. "What's wrong now, Zel?"

"It's nothing Lina. Just go away....go Dance with Gourry...."he told her.

Lina looked in Gourry's direction and saw he had already found a new partner, she frowned and then looked back at Zel. "Please tell me what's going on..."

"Fine...." he stopped and didn't say anything else.

"Go on....I'm waiting."

"The bet....What if....what if Xellos has the same feelings for you....What will you do then?"

Lina blushed furiously. "I'm sure he doesn't so there is no harm and I can get over a little crush..."  
  


"I see...."

"Can we go dance now? You shouldn't waste your life way here Zel" Lina winked and her reluctantly got up with her. 

As they danced on, Xellos appeared where Zelgadis and Lina were before. "The chimera....he has feelings for Lina-chan..." Xellos mused and then quickly disappeared again.  
  


~*~*~*~

Oh what shall happen!? Filia knows about the bet....tricky Filia....And what about Zelgadis? He likes Lina as well! And Xellos! What is our little priest planing now? anyway r/r!


	6. Her heart, his mind, no confession

Title: Love...or something like it.

Authoress: Ruby Moon Metallium

Summary: You're basic love triangle... hinted shounen-ai, lots of pairings. 

Warning: Shounen-ai, X/L, X/F, X/Z, G/A, G/L, Z/L, Z/A and a slight bit of G/X

A/N: There we go! Maybe the next chapter will get here *shrugs* I said I was gonna take out the G/X but I decided to put a 'lil wee bit in it just for fun and to torment Lina^_^

D/C: I Ruby Moon Metallium, other wise known as Beatmistress Zelly, does not own Slayers but I do own the concept of this fic so no stealing my ideas....unless you pay me money^_^  
  
  
  
She took up his hand and placed it on her waist, he held it there with a slight blush on his face. She looked up into his eyes to see his reaction as she tangled her long slender fingers in his, holding his hand carefully. A slow melody danced through the warm room, full of energy and ecstacy as the petite redhead boldly moved her body to the quickening rhythm. She brushed her body against his, as a sign to dance with her. Zelgadis turned his head and walked away from the girl.  
  
"Zel..."Lina called after him. She raised her hand to stop him but he walked away briskly.

Lina dropped her arm back to her side and softly walked off the dance floor, not to Zelgadis, but to her own table in a dark corner. She placed her cheek onto the table, her eyes sunk to a dull, dead expression.   
  
"What's wrong with my mind..." she abruptly said. "I worked so hard for Gourry to notice me but....When I'm with Zelgadis or Xellos, they both bring out feelings that I never thought I could feel for either of them. I can't possibly love all three...."  
  
Lina raised her head off the table and looked around to spot either of the three men. She could only spot Gourry dancing with a graceful petite blonde with flowing hair and mischievous eyes. Her dance was light and quite skimpy in Lina's mind as well as her flashy attire. Her long, slender arms wrapped around Gourry's neck, never touching skin though. She removed them and pretended to run a hand down Gourry's chest.  
  
Lina bent the nearest spoon in two and glared horribly. Lina's lips trembled, she bit down to stop the shaking but now they began to turn a shade of blue.   
  
"You'll bite through your lips, Lina."   
  
Lina spun around to see Zelgadis with a faint smile on his lips. She looked up at him to see his full expression, he seemed happy. Zel took up a chair next to Lina.  
  
"Sorry for taking off Lina....It's just....." he trailed off.  
  
"It's just what?" Lina questioned with a friendly face.  
  
"It felt....weird....to dance with you...." he mumbled.  
  
"Weird?" Lina blinked and then got the wrong impression. "ZELGADIS! You don't tell a girl THAT! You pervert!" She yelled and raised a hand to slap him.  
  
"NO NO! NOT THAT FEELING LINAAAAAAA!!!" Zel pleaded.  
  
Lina dropped her hand and smiled. "I know, you aren't that kind of guy to say such a thing."

"Then next time don't make like you're gonna slap me!" Zel glared.

Lina laughed and stuck out her tongue. "But if you did mean it that way.....you'd get more then just a slap..."

"Yeah....More likely a Dragon Slave." Zelgadis gulped.

Lina raised a brow but decided to let it slide "As you were saying...Why did you take off on me?"

Zelgadis looked her straight in the eyes, his gaze wavered a moment " Lina, can we change the subject?"

"Why? I think I deserve at least a bit of an explanation!" Lina huffed.

"You do but I can't offer one at the moment," Zel looked around briskly "And don't even try to give me hell for it. I have my reasons and I just think you should respect them....For once."

Lina leaned back in her chair, "Fine, I won't bother you about it but I would someday like that you trust me more than that. Sometimes I feel like I have to claw anything, if not everything, out of you. We're friends aren't we?" she said.

"We are, Lina. You're a good friend but just because you're a great friend doesn't mean I don't have the right to keep things to myself." he told her and got up off his chair to walk away again.

"You know Zel, if you don't want people in your life to share things why don't you stop leading them on like that. You lead me to believe you had something, well, important to tell me but I guess not. Why don't you ever try to find at least one person you can confide in and open up what you think a bit more?"

"Lina!" he snapped and turned around to her again, "Just shut up and leave me alone! How long does it take you to get that to your brain!? I said drop it!" he stomped off past her and the dance floor, out the door and gone.

"Geesh...Why is he acting like that!"

"Oh some people are just temperamental!" A familiar voice laughed. It was no one other than Xellos.

"Hey Xellos...." Lina sighed and looked uninterested in him.

"Oh? You're not happy to see me?"

"You tell me...You can sense it anyways!"

Xellos opened and eye, "Is it that 'time of the month', Lina?"

*BASH! CRASH! SNAP! SCREAM! YELP! POW! WHAM! SCREAM AGAIN!*

"Oh that was wonderful Lina! You always have such an impact with your fist! Always a delight!" said a totally massacred Xellos, who had a napkin sticking out of his ears.

Lina sighed and placed a hand over her face, she felt defeated and tired now but for some reason she had to smile. "Thanks Xellos."

"Eh? What did I do?" he said and pulled the napkin out of his head.

"You let me beat you up cause you knew it'd make me feel better." Lina grinned.

"....If you say so...I just like how hard you punch ^_^"

"...." Lina glanced at him and shrugged, "Anyway...I haven't seen you all night Xellos!"

"I was with Filia. She got drunk so I took her back to the Inn." he explained.

"Oh? You have better not raped her!" Lina cracked her knuckles. 

"No no! She was just drunk so I helped her back. You wouldn't believe what she told me either Lina-chan! She knows all about our bet! It seems she overheard you talking to Zelgadis the other day."

"She what?!" Lina slammed her fist on the table top.

"Yup. She knows everything!" Xellos laugh at Lina's horrified face.

'That must mean she knows about the *other* thing I told Zel! She must know now how I feel about Xellos!' Lina thought.

Xellos was amused by Lina's silence, "You didn't perhaps say something during that conversation that you shouldn't have now did you Lina?"

"Why would you get that idea!?"

Xellos just tilted his head and laughed, "No reason Lina-chan. But I don't think this bet is fun anymore..."

"So you quit?"

"Well....how about we talk more about this later. Perhaps Tomorrow. Right now it's best you find your companions and bring them back to the Inn before they are too drunk to walk."

"Too drunk to walk?" Lina looked over at the bar, there was Amelia and Gourry now sitting together with many shot glasses around them, "I see what you mean...Would you please help me collect them?"

"I don't see why not. I had to bring Filia back, might as well bring the rest of them too."

"Great! You take Gourry! I'll deal with Amelia. "Lina explained their plan of action to her mazoku friend.

"And Zelgadis? Where is he?" Xellos asked innocently.

"Took off on me..."

"Fighting again?"

"Shut up, and grab jellyfish brains over there." Lina glared.

Xellos and Lina picked up Gourry and Amelia respectively and walked out the door with them on their backs. Amelia was murmuring something in her semiconscious sleep and Gourry only drooled all over Xellos's shoulder.

"Gourry is quite built isn't he Lina-chan?" Xellos asked as he tried to balance the swordsman on his back.

Lina blushed and muttered a bit, "Why you asking me that....I wouldn't know!"

"He has such strong legs!" Xellos passed his hand over the sleeping mans thigh.

Lina was horribly embarrassed! She knew Xellos was only teasing he but... "Leave him alone Xellos!" she growled.

"Territorial?"

"Darkness beyond twilight..."

"Yare Yare! I was only joking!" Xellos sighed.

Lina smiled and walked along Xellos in the moonlight with Amelia on her back and Gourry on his. She quickly glanced at Xellos and smiled. She had no idea what was going on nor what to do but for a solemn moment she knew that whatever was to come, she could look back at all this like a lesson learned.  
  


~*~*~*~

Yes! I finally have finished my 6th chapter (so what if it's short?!)! I'm so happy! It's my longest fic! I think I'm gonna draw myself some fanart for my fic! Ja ne!


	7. face to face

Title: Love...or something like it.

Authoress: Ruby Hayashi (Otherwise known as Ruby Moon Metallium so on and so forth)

Summary: You're basic love triangle... hinted shounen-ai, lots of pairings. 

Warning: Shounen-ai, X/L, X/F, X/Z, G/A, G/L, Z/L, Z/A and a slight bit of G/X

A/N: So it's the long awaited 7th chapter but dare I say not the last yet. I have one more to go and then I can finally say I finished a story! It's been so long since I last wrote for this story so of course if I mess up on details please do point it out and I'll fix it as soon as possible.

D/C: Slayers ain't mine. The plot and such is so hands off!

  
  


As Lina and Xellos walk back to the Inn with both Amelia and Gourry on each of their backs, neither spoke a word as one might have thought. Many things played on Lina's mind, things like 'Had Filia told Xellos every detail of what she must have over heard?' or 'Why is Zelgadis acting like that to her?'  
  
They reached the Inn finally, after the half hour walk from the club. Usually one would have made it back to the Inn in less time than that but with Amelia and Gourry weighting you down, it's needless to say, you'd take some time. Lina was just happy that she could be relieved of the burden that was Amelia and perhaps the nagging silence between her and Xellos.

"Let's bring them up to their rooms, ne?" Xellos said, point to the stairs. Lina groaned, a flight of stairs with a heavy princess was about just as inviting as being eaten alive by a Venus Flytrap. "Come now, don't be lazy Lina-chan!"

"Yeah yeah....Gimme a second here to catch my breath. Not everyone has your kind of stamina!"

A wicked grin crept to Xellos' already grinning lips, "Why Lina, you have no idea what kinda of stamina I have..." he purred, "However, if you'd want to find out....."

"Keep it in your pants." Lina glared and then hauled Amelia up the steps, taking huffs of breath with sweat running down her face.

Xellos took the easy way up, he teleported with the swordsman to the top of the flight of steps while Lina kept dragging the unconscious princess one step at a time. "You see, it would have payed you to be nice...or at least humor me Lina-chan." Xellos wagged a finger in her face as she approached the last step.

"If you think I'd sink to humoring you, you creepy fruitcake than you got another thing coming!" Lina laughed in his face.

Xellos shrugged, he had another plan....  
  


They brought the two unconscious figures to their respective beds. Lina laid Amelia down in the bed next to hers then walked to the room that Gourry and Zelgadis shared. She peered into the room, hoping to see Zelgadis asleep but there was only Gourry with Xellos pulling the blankets over his body. She sighed. 

"Are you going to bed now Lina-chan?" Xellos asked as he walked to her.

"Not yet, I think I just want to sit downstairs for a while."

"Can I join you than?"

"Whatever, I don't care." she rolled her eyes, "You'd do it anyways."

"That's right! Oh you know me too well!"  
  


They walked down the flight of stairs and into a small livingroom type place. A soft fire crackled in the fireplace, candles adorned the room with a sweet sent of roses and lavender. Why did it feel so awkward in this dumb room...that seemed to have been set up.....

"Xellos did you do something to this room?" Lina questioned the mazoku.

"Hmm....Sore wa Himitsu desu!"

Lina's face began to sweat, her brows furrowed and her eyes began to dash to one side of the room to the other. She got the picture.

"Xellos, what's all this about?"

He stood behind her, breathing slowly down her neck. The hairs lifted with the little goose bumps he gave her with his soft breath. He raised his hands, bringing them to her arms which laid still to her side, hands in fists. He leaned in more, brushing his tender lips against her rigid neck, she shuddered.

"What do you want Xellos?" She said with a hoarse voice.

"What's the matter Lina? Don't you like me?"

"I- I don't....I don't know...."She stuttered. Her breathing was shaky and spasmodic.

'This is what I always dreamed of but why does it feel so wrong now?' Lina's mind raced, it wanted an answer! Why had her feelings changed so rapidly for Xellos? She couldn't have gotten over him in the matter of hours could she? 

Perhaps the answer lay within her heart. "I thought I did Xellos, I'll admit....Considering Filia must have said something to you between your little talk with her but if I did truly love you than this should feel so right. But it doesn't. I pictured something like this in my mind for so long. To have someone finally hold me, love me. But this isn't real, you could never do that, you would never want to. This is another one of your lies isn't it?"

Xellos hugged her from behind, "Yes Lina. It is. You saw through me once again." he leaned his head against the back of hers. "I would have gotten away with it too...."

"You're right. I dreamed of you holding me, but than again...I dreamt of Gourry and Zelgadis doing just the same. I understood then that you didn't really love me....Nor does Gourry, or Zelgadis."

"Hmm....That I am not sure of." Suddenly his cheerful expression came back, "And to think if I could have just fooled you....I could have gotten that wonderful power you have! I guess next time I'll try harder!"

Lina shook with rage, "There won't be a next time you fruit!...But I guess this means the bet is off....I'll still treat you to diner if you would like to accompany me. You did do a good job at stay civil with Filia after all."

"You know Lina, how about you keep your diner." 

"Hmmm...whatever, more food for me..." Lina laughed, "I guess I need to apologize to Filia when she wakes up."  
  


They said goodnight then. Lina went to her shared room with Amelia. Xellos disappeared in the night but surely he would be back in the morning. 

What a mess they had. Lina thought she loved Xellos for so long now but when the chance(if you can call it that) came to be with him, her heart told her that it wasn't true love. And true love it wasn't. All along he would have used her if she gave herself to him....or so he says. Before she laid her head down on her fluffy pillow she wondered about Gourry, she somehow knew that it would never work out between them now. Besides, she was getting over him. As for Zelgadis, she wondered if he would return. She had to say sorry to him after all. 

  
  


~*~*~

  
  


The long awaited ending to come soon. Stay tuned. :P


	8. I can't run anymore I'm sorry

Title: Love...or something like it.

Authoress: Ruby Hayashi (Otherwise known as Ruby Moon Metallium so on and so forth)

Summary: You're basic love triangle... hinted shounen-ai, lots of pairings. 

Warning: Shounen-ai, X/L, X/F, X/Z, G/A, G/L, Z/L, Z/A and a slight bit of G/X

A/N: Last chapter. C'mon motivation!

D/C: Slayers no mine. Me no own. Me own idea for fic though.

  
  


Lina awoke the next morning with her furious red hair spread out all over her pillow and on her face. She rolled over, eyes open but still not focused and looked at Amelia who was certainly going to have a hangover that morning. Lina propped herself up on her side and yawned. She pushed her legs off the side of her warm bed and placed her feet on the slightly cold floor.

Lina walked out of her room, closed the door silently, turned around.... right into Zelgadis who had just turn the corner at the same time. She looked up into his annoyed blue eyes. He pushed her back and walked to the door of his room. He turned the nob slowly to not make a sound. Lina glared at him. He just pushed her aside! He wasn't even going to say good morning?!

"Zel!" She said a little louder than she wanted to. Her eyes darted from side to side to make sure she didn't wake anyone up.

Zelgadis released the nob, sighed and walked back to her. She stood there, her hair matted, a little bit of mascara from last night smudged under her eyes, Zelgadis took it all in. She still made his heart run. He nervously scratched at his arm, trying to distract himself from her petite figure wrapped in her silk pyjamas.

"Quit being an ass Zel, you're acting like a stupid child! You wont tell me what's bothering..." Lina trailed off. This was exactly what she had done last night to Zelgadis that made him walk away from her. 

"...And it's really none of my business but....but Zelgadis....Sometimes, sometimes I worry and it's hard not to worry for someone you care about. I'm sorry for always getting in your way and acting like a brat and for pushing you to do things you don't want to. I'm sorry for everything last night and any time before that. I'm sorry for stopping you every time you want to leave and I'm sorry for being insensitive towards your wishes...."

Lina bowed her face to the floor to hide it from Zelgadis. He looked down on her, her arms limp to her side. He wondered if she was crying, his answer was found when she began shaking and little hicks of breath were heard from the deep of her throat. She locked her arms around her form and walked down the staircase, never once looking back at Zelgadis. He was battling to go after her or to leave her alone.

'I'm going to run after her....' he thought as his legs started to run down the stairs. 'I'm running after the girl I thought I gave up on....'

Zelgadis stopped, she wasn't in the living room, she wasn't there at all. She ran out of the door he figured as the door was ajar. He stepped out into the deserted street. She wasn't anywhere's to be seen but that didn't stop Zelgadis. He listened closely, bare foot steps were pattering across the ground to the west. 

  
  


*~*~*~* 

Filia burst out of her room, looking about. She had heard talking and then two people running down the flight of stairs. She walked to the livingroom in her nightgown and only found Xellos sitting sipping a cup of tea. 

"Good morning Filia!" He chirped.

"Who ran down here? Did you see them?"

Xellos opened his eyes, looked at Filia for a long moment and shrugged, "Lina and Zelgadis."

"Why? Were they fighting?" She asked, a little baffle to why they'd both be running so early in the morning.

"Something of the likes. Would you like some tea? It's a lovely brew, Autumn Crisp I believe."

"Alright, I might as well since I'm up now." Filia hesitated to sit next to Xellos.

"What?" Xellos frowned. Filia had never seen him look offended like that before. Usually everything he did was a facade.

"Oh....sorry....I'm just a little confounded....Why are you being nice? Didn't you give up the bet with Lina?"

"Oh....Yes we did..."

"So! What's with the act!?"

"What act?" Xellos turned his head, looking towards the window as if it suddenly was fascinating. 

"You! You're still being nice and civil to me!" She stood up and almost knocked the table over. Xellos quickly stabled it.

"Let's just call it.....a new habit.....for now..." He turned towards her again and flashed a grin.

  
  


*~*~*~*~*

Zelgadis walked towards a well. He could only see the top of Lina's fiery hair. She was sitting her back against the opposite side of the well. He gulped, why was he chasing her?! She didn't love him, she couldn't. So why was he so willing to fight for his desire? Somewhere, deep within him, Zelgadis knew the answers. You can't let love slip away from you, no matter how hopeless everything looks. Love is all about the fight. The fight to win someone special.

He sat down , back to Lina, resting on the well as well, "You pick interesting places to run away to." he said suddenly. She didn't respond.

"We're so different aren't we Lina? You're so full of raw emotions. You can always speak up and tell anyone what you feel."

"You'd think that huh?" Lina scoffed.

"It always seems that way. Did you have fun with Xellos last night? Or Maybe you found your way back to Gourry..." Zelgadis bit back.

"Oh I had loads of fun with both. Why, couldn't you tell by the way I was with them this morning?"Lina said sarcastically.

"But really, who's won your heart? I bet Xellos has gotten you to swallow every lie he tells you. Did he tell you how much he loves you? Did he say it until he made himself sick because you were just so happy to hear someone say it?!" Zelgadis said ignoring her comment.

"You know what gets me about you Zel? You can tell everyone to just piss off, to leave you alone and yet you can't take the hint yourself!"

"Hmm...not today anyways. Today I have a reason. I have something to settle, then I can move on..." Zelgadis crawled around the well to Lina. He looked at her, she wore a shocked expression. She couldn't read his motives. "I can finally leave forever if I find what I dread."

He leaned over and kissed her strongly. She let out a small moan of surprise but then kissed back. Zelgadis tangled his hand into her hair, pulling her softly closer to him. She tugged on his shirt to hold herself up. Zelgadis backed off now. He looked at Lina, a dazed look plastered her face.

"What did you dread Zel?" She asked quietly.

"I dreaded that you didn't feel the same. I dreaded that you really did love someone else."

"I guess this means you're going to stay then?"

"Yeah...."

  
  
  
  


~I can't run anymore,  
I give myself to you,  
I'm sorry,  
I'm sorry,  
In all my bitterness,  
I ignored,  
All that's real and true,  
All I need is you~

-Evanescence, October

  
  


~*~*~*~

  
  


Oh I'm so proud! I finished a story!!! Look at meeeee!!! I'm so great!!! I did this in 4 hours too! That's the best way to waste a morning off of school!

And for those wondering about Xellos and Filia. You can guess they end up together more or less. Gourry and Amelia don't go much father than that. They pretty much are clueless to ½ of these happenings -_-' 

Zelgadis and Lina do the marriage thing, pop out a couple a kids and spend the rest of their lives fighting with headstrong stone skinned teenagers who fight crime and triumph over evil. 

Ok so I'm kidding about that part. Maybe someday I'll write a sequel to this. But not for a long time. Next time I feel like writing a long fic, I'll actually plan it out -_-'

Ja ne!

  
  
  
  



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